Pee-wee Herman moves to Club Nokia, pushes back show dates

In August, Pee-wee Herman, a.k.a. Paul Reubens, announced that he would return to the spotlight in a re-conceived version of his '80s stage production "The Pee-wee Herman Show" at the Music Box @ Fonda.

Now the eternal man-child has announced that the show has moved to Club Nokia in downtown L.A. In addition, the show is now set to start its run Jan. 12, 2010, pushed back from the original opening day of Nov. 19.

Ticket-holders can exchange their seats for "comparable" seats beginning at 10 a.m. Wednesday through 10 p.m. Oct. 13 via Ticketmaster at (800) 653-8000. (They should have their original confirmation number when calling.)

In a statement, Reubens said: "To the fans who already bought tickets, I apologize for the inconvenience of the venue and date changes and am arranging for you to come backstage and say hello!"

Promoters of "The Pee-wee Herman Show" said that the venue change "will allow more fans to attend and purchase tickets at various price points, including VIP tickets, as well as lower-priced general admission tickets."

The public sale of Club Nokia tickets is scheduled to start at 10 a.m. Oct. 15 via Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000 or www.ticketmaster.com.

"The Pee-wee Herman Show" will run at Club Nokia from Jan. 12 to Feb. 7.

Alex Timbers has joined as the show's director. With his roots in experimental theater, Timbers is the artistic director of the New York-based company Les Freres Corbusier. He directed "Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson" at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in 2008.

-- David Ng

Photo: Pee-wee Herman, in a scene from his television show. Credit: Paul Reubens / Herman World

Comments

[London]

I have been sitting here in shock for ten minutes trying to absorb the fact that this show is cancelled!!! I, like many of the people on this post, bought expensive front row seats, scheduled a trip and feel so disappointed that my birthday weekend is ruined.
I changed my family's holiday plans to see this show.
The production company should at least offer people who purchased tickets priority seating for the new venue.
I don't want a refund. I want to see the Pee Wee Herman show.

[Courtney]

DISAPPOINTED!
Like everyone else on this forum, I bought tickets in the first hour they were on sale, planned to use extra vacation days for this. My family changed their Thanksgiving plans because I wasn't going to be with them (I was going to be in the PlayHouse!). Got plane tickets from Boston to LA. Planned on hotel room near the theater.
I'm just so sad.
Getting refund for the tickets I thought were so special.
Canceling my flights for a fee.
Pee Wee has canceled my dreams--no refund for that.
sigh.

[David]

I like many of you was really upset about the postponement and the move. Then I had to wait 2 hours on the phone with Ticketmaster, to be told that there were no "comparable" seats, I either could spend another $35.00 bucks to get upper balcony tickets or go down to "general admission" tickets, which are standing room. So let me get this straight, I went from having nice seats in a theater to either being in the balcony or standing for the show. If it had been any other event, I would have told them to shove it, but leaves a major distaste in my mouth for the PeeWee brand. Ready to welcome him back and then he just goes for the cash. Why didn't he keep his original dates and then add more shows at Nokia? Totally a money grab.

[steveM]

After getting abusy signal all morning, and being on hold forever this afternoon, Ticketmaster just told me that they are offering only refunds, and that if I want tickets to the rescheduled show, I have to buy them when they become available, just like everyone else. I'm not sure how Pee Wee is going to "arrang[e] for [us] to come backstage and say 'hello!'" when we'll have tickets like everyone else. This stinks. Pee Wee should and could have done "try out" or practice shows for thse who had bought tickets and arranged to travel, and then done the larger venue Nokia Live shows later.

[Comparable refunds?!]

Just got off phone w/ Ticketmaster. Didn't even give me the option to exchange for "comparable" seats. Said that the event/promotors were offering just straight refunds. WHAT THE HECK!?!?! Asked the dude over & over again... Said it was already put into affect on my account. WHAT!?!? Ugh, so now I have to wait a week & perhaps I lost my opportunity to meet Pee Wee?! Not good, not good at all!

[VioletStereo]

Tickets to a canceled show: $342.50
Ticketmaster fees that will likely never be seen again: $54.40
Non-refundable airline reservations purchased to attend canceled show: $417.60
Having your family's Thanksgiving ruined by an all-time favorite artist: PRICELESS

Maybe to meet overwhelming demand, more shows at a different venue should have been added after the original commitments had been met.

No, I won't be partaking in your "exclusive opportunity" to trade in my tickets for worse seats at a larger venue but boy oh boy, do I feel special for being asked! THANKS!

Today's Secret Word is: hoodwink

[A.T. Anthony]

I had three tickets, and I'm returning them for a refund. This is lame.

[cootie]

I woke up early and fought for opening night tickets. I happily landed second row for the opening night and was in love with the intimate venue. Now that it's been canceled I've spend 6 hours and over 700 calls to find out that I'm too late, I can't go to opening night and now have to sit in the far left back of a terrible venue (and am paying the same amount, $80 per ticket).

[Frustrated in Ohio]

With the type of plane tickets I had, the amount they would charge me to change my flight was $35 less than a second plane ticket altogether. Looks like I'm making TWO trips to California. Fortunately airfare is as cheap as it is, otherwise I would have opted for the event ticket refund and stayed in Ohio.

I can't think of ANY other entertainer for whom I'd put up with this sort of garbage...

Advice to people if they get through to Ticketmaster: by default, they'll try to shove you in a "VIP" section of the balcony. If you had the premium tickets for the original show, you should be able to get front section floor seats. I had to ask, but I was able to upgrade my old 4th-row seats to 2nd-row seats. But I do certainly feel screwed over. Ticketmaster issues a refund for the original ticket (but that apparently takes a couple of weeks to show up?) but the amount I was charged for the replacement tickets wasn't higher than the original tickets' price.

[peepee herman]

i'm thrilled..... i bought no theatre tickets, no plane tickets, no hotel, car, nothing. for once, i did something right.

[T. Estes Moroder]

I am very glad that I saw Pee Wee in his original show back on the Sunset Strip in the early 1980's, long before his CBS program. Pee Wee was young then. One might even have called him an idealist. One cannot now call him either.

[ed]

wow.
at least I live in LA.
I thought MY experience sucked.
it took me from 10AM to 6PM to even get put on hold with ticketmaster, another 55 minutes to get a live person to help me and then, to get less-than comparable tickets, I got gouged out of another $30.
good thing I got my money's worth with the $30 that went to ticketmaster.

I want to show up just to boo the greedy bastard off the stage.
and how is ticketmaster not mired in anti-trust lawsuits?

[Spike MM]

I am not going to say this was a good move by Pee Wee. However all this crying makes me think some of you are still living with your parents, in your pajamas watching the Pee Wee Herman show on Saturday morning.
I am aware that these boards are for complainers but come on.
Club Nokia is not a bad venue and in my opinion nicer. The worst seats are a lot better than worst seats at Fonda. By the way there were no rows at the Fonda, just tables. I am sure it would suck to come to L.A. on a vacation without Pee Wee Herman.
Don't you think a money grabber would go on tour and come to your city? In other words he is either not trying to drain you or he will be at a theatre near you soon. Relax.

[Richard Winchester]

ANGRY? I am spitting mad. Well I am angry that it was postponed and that there was a venue change. I am angry at the way it was handled. I get an email stating that my tickets will me changed. Then I called and was told to call back on Wednesday at 10am. On Wednesday when I called for two hours the call would go through and then go DEAD. Then I called I called the regular TICKETMASTER number only to be transferred to a number that did not answer - I waited for 45 minutes. At one o'clock the customer service line answered only to have someone explain to me that the original email was wrong and that ALL the tickets were credited and I would have to start OVER. Did get that START OVER after getting GREAT SEATS on the night that I wanted..... Also, the credited money would not go through for 5 to 7 days. RIP OFF. Then I then wanted to talk to a manger. I was transferred to someone else - waiting another 20 minutes. This person was just as rude and explained everything ALL over again. I said OK - because TICKETMASTER IS A RIP OFF - I asked for the best tickets for Jan. 23rd and all the front seats were already gone. Now, I check a few other nights and they were already gone as well. Now how could have that have happened - RIP OFF. I hope Paul Ruebend is reading this. Because this whole experience with TICKETMASTER is WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

[Ironman Carmichael]

To those of you who actually got through to Ticketmaster already, congratulations. How'd you do it?

If there had been any attempt at fairness, they would have let us make the exchange online instead of this busy-signal-and-disconnect bit.

I think the wisest course of action is let Ticketmaster give you your money back and wait for the show to be filmed for cable. You know it will be.

[Julie Liming]

I purchased plane tickets from Kansas to LA to attend the show. Planned my whole Thanksgiving holiday around it. I'm very disappointed. Will cost at a minimum $200 to change my flights. I also had front row seats at one of the tables at the original show. It was obviously die hard fans that made the event such a success. Definitely feel betrayed.

[rp]

This is lame. Laaaaaame!

[m. stiteler]

I think its alot of bs that i got tickets for the first show dates, and now that they moved the venue my tickets are no good. i spent 2oo for two tickets and now you cant find any for under 300. Thanks alot live nation and who ever else there is to blame for this.

[Brian from beyond IknowyouarebutwhatamI]

I received the email from Ticketmaster about the change of dates. What was once a front row seat at a table in an intimate setting has now been changed. I am going to take the refund and I better get the entire charge refunded or I'm filing a dispute claim with my charge card company.
Yeah, ha ha, so funny I forget to laugh, ha ha!

As many have said, this was handled completely wrong. All of the changes should have been done online for previous ticket holders. We should not have been inconvenienced by trying to call Ticketmaster--when was the last time any of us tried that? Thankfully I'm in LA County, but I really feel for the out of town fans that took time off work, spent money on nonrefundable airfare, etc. This whole thing doesn't seem well thought out from the beginning. Why are all shows moving to downtown AEG/Staples/Nokia? It is all about money and corporate welfare.
Check out this article published today:
http://www.laweekly.com/2009-10-08/news/los-angeles-corporate-welfare-ritz-carlton-and-aeg/

[Donald]

Finally got through to Ticketmaster this morning, but like others have said, the tickets "have already been refunded to my credit card (as of October 8th). They ARE refunding the entire amount though, which is good: $81.30.

I tried a few of the new days and the only seats available to us good and loyal fans who rushed to buy tickets at the beginning of August, were WAY on the side (section 103, seat 9!) The center front section is not available. I guess those are the VIP seats that we get to fight over starting on the 13th.

This is sure a great way to re-build your fan loyalty.